Drying machine



B. A. PARKE S DRYING MACHINE Aug. 26, 1930.

Filed May 18, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet v 1.

' II'TOKE Y8 IN VE N TOR; BEfiTfi/VA/D 17 P/YRKES: E Y.'

Aug. 26, 1930.- B. A. PARkES 1,773,852

DRYING MACHINE Filed May 18, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 fiikrxmvo PI/Fl/E 3,js v v ATTORNEYS.

Aug. 26, 1930 p s 1,773,852

DRYING MACHINE Filed May l8, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Aug. 26, 1930.: B..A.PARKES DRYING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed May 18, 1929 nv VE/V 70R!.Bzmrmswa /7. FIR/ 6 1 .latented Aug. 26, 1930 BERTBAND A. PABKES, OFPHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA I DRYING MACHINE Application filed May is,1929. Serial No. 364,084; 7 v w being driedbeing'car ied an'd confinedbea tween said aprons. a j My invention further consists 'inprovidingnovel means for controlling the circulation and replacement of theairheated by theheat- 55 ing coils, and in providing means for regulatingand controlling the speed atvwhich the sprocket chains and apronscarried thereby are propelled. 1 1 5 I My invention still furtherconsists of va- 60 rious other novel. features of construction andadvantage all as hereinafter described I My invention relates to'a newand useful drying machine and it relates more particularly to a dryingmachine using heated air as a drying medium,whereby any desired materialsuch as piece go ds, yarns, woolen or cotton stock and similar materialsmay be efiiciently andeconomically dried byone and the same machine. I

My invention'further relates to a drying machine wherein the heated dryair is blown through the fabric, stock or other material being dried toinsure the complete, thorough and tilllck drying of such fabric, stockor materia by a single operationor passage ?-5 through the dryingmachine. V

My invention still further relates to a drying machine of this generalcharacter which is particularly adapted for drying delicate fabrics suchas silks, rayons, chifions andthe it) like whereby such fabrics aredried free of wrinkles and creases and themarkings neces- 1szairilyresulting from such creases and wrines; i

and claimed. s I

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1, represents a side elevation of a05 drying machine, embodying my invention, "certain parts being'reinovedto show the interior constructiom= 4 Y Figure 2, represents asection on line 2+2 of Figure 1.. 1V

Figure 3, represents a. plan view of Fig, 1. Figure 4, represents'a viewsimilarto Figure 1 showing a modified form of my inven- My invent-ionstill further relates-toa dryi a Y ing machine wherein the heated air iscon- R f rlng t0 the 1n Whichvlike 75 s'tantly circulated and reheatedto enhance re erence characters Indicate like parts, desits absorbingcapacity and wherein the moist 'lg fi & drying m hine embody ng my inair is slowly. and gradually expelled and reven on, m l s pp r d n, am,or placed byfresh air so that no interference h u lng 2, and aving thezbase. 3 i

V 7 30 with the circulation of the air, or any sudden a t fi p d sigparti cooling thereof can take place. 'tion which divides the machinecasing into an upper compartment 9 and a lower oompartment 10, which. vcompartments intercomrnunicate through the end ducts-11 and My inventionstill further: lates-to' a machine of this character wherein thematerialbeing dried may be propelled at any desired speed in accordance with thenature of and the amount of humidity in said material.

v My invention still further relates't'o a dryhereinafter morefully setforth,

' 14 designates a series of heating coils disside ducts 12 in a'mannerand for a purpose 85 ing machine of this character which is of a simpleconstruction, inexpensive to produce and simple to operate.

To the above ends my invention consists of a' housing, a series ofheating coils in, the lower portion thereof, acylindrical fan above saidcoils, larger and smaller sprocket wheels at either end of said fan,sprocket chains carfried by said sprocket wheels in spaced relation toeach other, endless aprons carried by: said sprocket chains, and-meansfor propel-' :0 ling said chains and said aprons, the material in thelower compartment 10 ands'upplied with steamer any other. suitableheat-' ingmedium in any suitablemanner. The

lower compartment 10 is provided with a 'fresh air inlet 15' while" theupper compartment 9 isprovided with the moist air outlet 16, said outletand inlet servingto control the u circulation of .air and beinghereinafter further referred to. w

. To the-frame 2 ofithe machine, are secured the bearings 18 in which isjournalled the shaft 19 which carrie a o e end t emet the driving pulley2O driven by any source of powernotshown. The shaft 19 carries andrevolvesthe fan wheel 22 which is provided with the, inclined vanes or'blades 23 along its circumferential periphery. At either end of the fanwheel 22 is a sprocket rim 27 which carries the cross bars 24 whichserve as bafile plates to distribute the air blown by the fan wheel 22.The sprocket rims 27 are carried by the sprocket wheels 28 and aresecured thereto by the spacing blocks 26'. The sprocket wheels 28 havethe hubs 29 which are loose on the bearings 32 so that the sprocketwheels 28 are free to revolve independentl of the shaft19 as will beunderstood from Figure 2. 30 designates cross bars at either side of themachin which carry the bearings 31 in which are journalled the shafts 33which carry the loose sprocket wheels 34 over which pass the endlesssprocket chains 35 which also pass over and'engage the sprocket rims 27carried by the loosesp'rocket wheels 28. The sprocket chains 35 alsopass over the loose sprocket wheels '38 on the shaft 39 and over thesprocket wheels 38 fast on the shaft 40, the shafts 39 and 40 beingjournalled in the bearings 41 carried by the cross bars 30. The shaft 40also carries the fast pulley 45 over which passes the belt 46 which alsopasses over the fast pulley 47 on the shaft 19 [wherebythe sprocketwheels 38 are revolved to drive the sprocket chains 35. The chains 35are connected by cross bars 49* on the underside of which is the wirecloth or other flexible-apron 50* which forms an endless invertedconveyor which will be hereinafter referred to. 48 designatesendlesssprocket chains which pass over loose sprockets 42 on the shafts43 and over the sprocket wheel 28.

The endless sprocket chains 48 are connected by the transverse bars .49which support the clothor wire nettingapron 50 to form an endlessconveyor for carrying the stock 61 hereinafter further referred to (seeFigs. 1, 2 and 3). The endless chains 48 ride over the inclined tracks51 and the bottom horizontal tracks 52 as well as over the loose idlesprocket ,whe'els"53 carried by the supports 54 and the loose idlesprocket wheels 55 carried by the frame 2 of the machine. aswill beunderstood from Fig. 1, I

To prevent the air sucked from the heating compartment 10 through theducts 12' from escaping, I provide the shields 94 which have theflanges95 which register with the cylindrical members 93 carried by and re-.volving with the sprocket wheels 28. To

prevent the air thus sucked and guided into the fan wheel 22 from beingblown out except between the baflie plates'24 and through v the aprons50 and 50" carried by the sprocket chains 48 and 35, I' provide theshields 96 which extend from the flanges 95 of theshields 94 to theperipheries of the juxtaposed sprocket wheels 28 as will be bestunderstood from Fig. 2. 97 designates a guard positioned between thesprocket chains 48 and 35 to prevent the scattering of the stock 61 andwill be hereinafter referred to. In order to insure complete removal ofthe stock 61 from between the aprons 50 and 50*, the latter is providedwith the longitudinal blade 64 which is of a width or heightsubstantially equal to the distance or space between said aprons, andwhich serves to remove the stock 61 from ofl' the lower apron 50 as willbe understood from Fig. 1 it being noted that any desired numberof'blades 64 may be employed if so desired.

he operation is as follows The stock 61, such as wool, cotton, pulp orthe like, is fed, automatically or manually onto the apron 50 carried bythe chains 48 which travel in the direction of the arrow 60. VVhentheapron 50.and chains 48 reach the idle rollers '42 on the shafts 43 atthe left hand side of Figure 1, the stock 61 becomes i shafts 43 and 39respectively, the chains 35 and 48 carrying the aprons 50* and 50respectively, then engage the outer sprocket wheel 28 and the innersprocket rim 27 carried thereby with the stock 61 confined therebetweenas will be understood from Fig. 1.

In this position of the parts, and until the stock 61 has travelledcompletely around the sprocket wheels 28.and 27, the fan wheel 22 blowsva constant current of hot air there through, said air being forcedthrough the 'stock 61 by its inability to escape otherwise due to theprovision of the shields or guards 94, and 96 hereinabove referred to.After the stock 6lhas travelledcompletely around the sprocket wheel 28,the chains 48 carrying the apron 50 which carries the stock pass overthe idle sprockets 42 on the shafts 43 at the right hand side of Fig. 1,over the inclined tracks 51 and over the idle sprockets 53 on the righthand side of Fig. 1, where the stock 61' falls off the apron 50 carriedby the chains 48, as at 63. The sprocket chains 48 then pass under theidle sprockets 55 onthe lower right hand side of Fig. 1, overthe'bottom' tracks 52, under the sprockets 55 at the lower left handside of Fig. 1 and over the sprockets 53 at the left hand side of Fig. 1to the inclined tracks 51 where the stock 61 is again fed onto the apron50 carried thereby and the cycle of operations begins over again. Themotive power for the propulsion of the stock 61 and 'the shaft 39 whicha through the ducts 12 and the aprons 50 and 50* l8 and is'provided bythe belt 46 which passes over the pulley 47 fast on the revolving shalt19'and over the alley carried by l so carries fast the sprocket wheels38? over which chains 35 pass as will be understood from Fi -1.

The air sucked into the Ian "wheel 22 blown through the aprons 50 and 50carried by the sprocketchains 48 and 35 around the sprocket wheels 28and 27 and through the stock 61, flows downwardly through the end ducts11 back into the heating chamber 10 to be dehydrated and'again suckedthrough the side ducts 12 into fan wheel 22. This is accomplished partlydue to the fact that moist air leaving the stock 61 is heavier than dryair and partly due to the .fact that constant suction of'the air by thefan wheel 22 from the lower compartment 10 through the side ducts 11,reduces the pressure in said lower compartment, thus creating a downwardcurrent through the end ducts 11. Apart of the moist air in the,

compartment 9 escapes through the outlet 16, thereby causing a draft offresh air to flow into the compartment 10 through the inlet 15. In thisway the air in the compartments 9 and 10 ischanged orreplenishedgradually, so thatno sudden cooling ofthe air supply takesplace as would be the case if'the air in said compartments were to becompletely changed or replaced at stated intervals.

In Figure .4 I have shown my novel drying "machine particularly adaptedfor dryin a j fabric such assilk, piece goods, chi von', rayon or otherdelicate material.

In 'thisconstruction Ionly add the feed roll 71 carried by the shaft 72and the feed roll 73 carried by the shaft 74 and meshing with orfrictionally driven by the roll-75 on the shaft? 6 which also carriesthe pulley 7 7 over which passes the belt 78 which also passes we thepulley 79 carried. by the shaft c'arriei idle sprocketwheels 81 esprocket wheels 53 at rtion of Figure 1), over ing' the space'betweenthe-apr01 ia'50 and50 I carried by'the-sprocket chams'35 and 48-as-;indicated'by the arrow" 82. B regulating the s ed of rotation ofthe roll5, the s (L aw ich the cloth .70 is 'fed on propell can be controlled tosynchronize with-thespeed of the sprocket chains 48 and 35 travellingover the sprocket wheels 28 and the sprocket rims.27 carried thereby. Atthe-outlet'end of the machine-I provide a take'up-roll- 84 l over" whichthe dried cloth 70 passes before "reaching the truck or other receptacle85.

Theroll 84 is carried by a shaft 86 which: also carries the alloy "87-over which passes thc belt 88 wh'c passes over thepulley carried by thechainsthe shaft 90 which carries the idle sprockets- 91 "(correspondingto the idle sprockets 53 at .the right hand portion ofFig. 1) wherebythe cloth 70 is drawn out contacting with the sprocket chains 48 and theapron 50 carried thereby by making the length of the cloth 70 found atany one time between the aprons 50 and 5Q vcarried by the sprocketchains 48 and 35 slightly less than the circumference of the outersprocket wheels 28. The cloth 70 is also prevented from contacting withthe apron 50*. carried by the sprocket chains 35 by the blast of hot airwhich is blown throughthe cloth 70 by the fan'wheel22 which tends tomaintain the cloth 70 drawn taut as will be understood from Figure 4. Bythis novel arrangement the cloth 70 is dried free of wrinkles, creasesor markings since it is protected from all contact with solid objectswhile it is in the moist condition. In other words while the delicatefabric 70 is being dried it is practically suspended in a stream of hotair with no physical contacts whatsoever.- The advantage of method ofsuspending the cloth 7 0 from transverse rods or poles in loops, isobvious since by this latter practice the cloth 70 carried what is knownas stick max-kin was liable to get wrinkled and'was only super- 1ficially subjected to hot air instead of-having a blast of hotairpassing through 'it.' In

' fact the force of the air blowing through the cloth 70 is suificient'to smoothen outany wrinkles or creases that may exist in the clothbefore reaching the sprocket wheel 27.

-While I have shown in the accompanying drawings, a' single dryingmachine, it is' to be understood that it-is within the scopeof myinvention to provide a series of sprocket wheels 27 and 28, overwhichwill pass a continuous pair of sprocket chains .48, there being acorresponding series of sprockets 34, 38,-

38* and 42, with sprocket chains 35 passing thereover for each .pairofsprocket wheels 27 and 28 so that the stock 61 or cloth 70 be ingdried may pass over a series of fan wheels 22and be dried in successivestages. Furthermorc,1 t is within the scope of my inventionto st,arrange the series of sprocket wheels 27 and 28 andth'eir adjuncts thatthe cloth orv stock 61 or .70 maynot onlybe dried in successive stagesbut that it may, after having beenthoroughly dried, be slightly"humidified prevent the cracking or'other'damage.

that might result to the -fiber of the materialbeing 'dried fromexcessive'dehydration.

It-will further be apparent that while I 't I have shown"my noveldryingfmachine adapt- 515 this method over the heretofore prevailing edfor the purpose of drying stock, such as cotton. wool, or pulp, etc.,and for the purpose of drying cloth such as rayon or chiffon, etc, it iswithin the scope of my invention by effecting various slight changeswhich are not a part of the invention, to'adapt my novel drying machinefor the purpose of drying any desired material.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is 1. In a device-of the character stated, ahousing, a fan wheel rotatably carried thereby. a pair of sprocketwheels at each end of said fan wheel, said pairs otsprocket wheels beingrevoluble, independently of said fan wheel, endless sprocket chainsengaging said sprocket wheels, endless aprons carried by said sprocketchains, means for revolving said fan wheel, and means for actuating saidsprocket chains to propel s'ald aprons around said fan wheel.

2. In a device of the character stated, a

' housing, a fan wheel rotatably carried thereby, sprocket wheels ofdifferent diameters at each end of said tan wheel, said sprocket wheelsbeing revoluble independently of said fan wheel, endless sprocket chainstravelling over said sprocket wheels, endless aprons carried by saidsprocket chains, means for re volving said fan wheel, means foractuating said sprocket chains to propel said aprons around said fanwheel, and means for regulating the speed of said aprons independentlyof the speed of said fan wheel.

3. In a drying machine of the character stated, a housing, a fan wheelrotatably carried thereby, sprocket wheels of different diametersrigidly secured in spaced relation to each other at each end of said fanwheel and revoluble. independently of said fan wheel,

endless sprocket chains travelling over said sprocket wheels, endlessaprons carried by said sprocket chains in spaced relation to each other,said aprons being'adapted to receive the material tobe driedtherebetween, means for revolving said fan wheel and means for actuatingone of said sprocket chains, to propel said aprons around said fan wheelin spaced concentric relation to each other.

4. In a drying machine. of the character stated, a housing, a fanwheelrotatahly carried thereby, sprocket wheels rigidly secured togetherat each end of said fan wheel and rpta-table independently of said fanwheel, sprocket chains engaging said sprocket wheels, endless apronscarried by said sprocket chains in spaced relation to each other andadapted to receive the material to'be dried therebetween, means forrevolving said fan wheel, means for actuating one of said sprock etchains to propel said aprons around said fan wheel in concentricrelation to each other, and end guards'disposed between the peripheriesof said aprons for preventing the wheels, and closures at either endv ofsaid fan wheel for forcing the air blown by the latter through saidaprons.

6. In a drying machine ofthe character stated, a housing comprising aheating compartment and a drying compartment, :1 heating element in saidheating compartment, a

fan wheel in said drying compartment,

means for revolving said fan wheel, air ducts leading from said heatingcompartment into said fan wheel, air ducts leading from said dryingcompartment back into said heating compartment, means for revolving thematerial to be dried around said fan wheel, an air outlet insaid dryingcompartment and an air inlet in said heatin compartment.

7. In a device of the c aracter stated, a

housing, a fan wheel rotatably mounted. therein, a sprocket wheel ateach end of said fan wheel rotatable independently of the latter, asprocket rim of a slightly lesser diameter than, and carried rigidly byeach of said sprocket wheels, bafile plates carried by said sprocketrims in proximity to the periphery of said fan wheel adapted to deflectt e air blown by said fan wheel, endless sprocket chains engaging saidsprocket wheels and rims, endless aprons carried by said sprocket chainsadapted to travel around said fan wheel in spaced relation to-each otherand to receive the materialto be dried therebetween, and means forpropelling said aprons around said fan wheel independently of therotation ofthe latter.

8. In a device of the character stated, a housing, a fan wheel rotatablymounted therein, s rocket wheels at each end of said fan wheel endlesssprocket chains engaging said sprocket wheels, means forpropellmg saidchains, endless aprons carried by said chains adapted to be propelledaround said fan wheel in spaced concentric relation toeach other, and toreceive the material to be dried therebetween, and means carried by oneof said aprons adapted to coact with the juxtaposed operative surface ofthe other of said aprons for removing the material being dr1ed from saidlast mentioned apron after a complete revolution of said aprons aroundsaid fan wheel.

9. In-adevice of the character stated, a housing, a fan wheel. rotatablymounted therein, means for drivin the latter, idle inner and outersprocket w eels mounted in said housing at each end of said fan wheel,

said inner and outer sprocket wheels being.

rigidly secured together and rotatable as a unit independently of saidfan wheel, endless inner sprocket chains engaging said inner sprocketwheels, endless outer sprocket c ains engaging said outer s rocketwheels, endless a rons carried b3 inner and outer sproc et chains anaround said fan wheel in spaced concentric relation to each other, andmeans for propelsai v .ling said inner sprocket chains independentlyendless sprocket chains of the rotation of said fan wheel.

10. In a drying machine -of the character stated, a houslng, a fan-wheelrotatably carried thereby, means for revolving said fan wheel, sprocketwheels carried b said housing'in operative relation to sai fan wheel,

said sprocket wheels, means for propelhngsaid sprocket chains endlessaprons carried by said rocket chains adapted to travel around said fanwheel in spaced relation to each other to receive the materialto bedried therebetween, means for feeding said material into the spacebetween said aprons and means for withdrawing said aprons after acomplete revolution of said material around said fan wheel.

11. In a device of the character stated, a housing, a fan wheelrotatablycarried there'- by, s rocket wheels at each end of said fanwhee said sprocket wheels-being revoluble independently of saidfan'wheel endless sprocket *chains engaging said sprocket wheels,endless aprons carried by said sprocket chains,, means for revolvingsaid fan wheel, means for actuating said sprocket chains to propel saidaprons around said fan wheel.

BERTRAND A. PARKES.

adapted to travel

